I regressed and became the Sword Ice King - Chapter 491

Chapter 491: Chapter 491- Missing Royal

Pain was all she felt. All she saw. And all she thought.

Each strike from the swirling aegis of malignancy was a stark reminder of the lengths the people would go for the safety of their Leaders.

But more than that, it showed the resilience of the Great Households.

The air was shrill– impregnated with the smell of burnt flesh and the metallic taste of iron. Cuts, bruises and scarred flesh riddled the bodies of the group tasked with the lives of their Household Heads and the future of the Kingdom.

They struggled with the flow. Held onto the grasping goal laid out for them.

The fate of a plan enacted without full proof.

One could call it foolishness, but they would beg to differ.

If there was a way, then why not act on it?

Motives or not, the truth remained the same… The Heads were akin to God’s… their power could not be lost nor replaced.

A new Head would be unable to fill the position of the former and if they could, it would take a relatively long period of time.

Time that no one had.

Therefore, the importance, both morally and strategically, lies in the simple hope of regaining their Patriarchs or matriarchs.

The tendrils of the dying Dome were an enactment of its last will. A rebuttal to the assault cast against it, and it showcased it with venomous fangs.

Its hollow cries– projections torn from the gaping maw of a bottomless chasm, broke through the skies.

The high-pitched screeches would be an ear sore to the common people, and it still was to the Delegates.

Still, they pressed on… for the ending was near.

Through their anguish, Fiona snapped her head to the side where Martha stood. Staggering with her entire being to keep herself up.

The young Jun Mage found it comedic, but the strength and willingness to express it were absorbed by her circumstances.

After all, she was in no better condition.

Still… Fiona never missed a banter.

“Hey, Martha dear~”

Her teeth clashed like swords under the weight of her pain.

But resilience was second nature to the Juns.

The Merlin Assistant peered to the side while she instinctively straightened up.

“You’re struggling. Sure you don’t want to take a rest?”

Martha scoffed.

“Don’t make me laugh, Jun.”

She gasped softly.

“You’re no different from me.”

Fiona giggled shortly and turned away.

Raising her right arm away from the blast of mana that struck the Dome.

Her legs buckled with the slightest of movement but it remained stalwart in function.

“Well, I can’t deny that.” She said with a jagged smile.

“It’s time. The molecules have clashed far enough and I can feel the presence of the estranged energy particles.”

“Agreed,” Martha muttered. “It’s time we direct the flow to the top.”

“Have a place in mind?”

Martha slowly raised her head to the top of the Dome.

Watching in torment as the resistive blockade began to shrink.

“The top of course… right in front of us.”

“Alright then.”

Her words ended and actions followed seamlessly like a well-tuned orchestra.

In the next second, the Dome was ignited in a spiral of golden light that spun with the wave of ominous Dark Mana that formed its existence.

It ran in spirals. Pulling the flow of energy blasted from the Delegates towards the direction of the two who led them.

Seconds turned into minutes when the glow metamorphosed into a whitish-gold.

Joining at a single point, before charging in a loud beam.

It shot out with a pop, blasting towards the palms of the stretched-out arms of the two awaiting Mages.

The air gave in and the ground split under the magnitude of the force of the blast.

Their feet dug into the ground.

An overwhelming pressure threatening to pick them off their feet in a sudden wave.

With a silent groan, they anchored themselves and pushed back.

Stopping before they could drift any further away from the relapsing Dome.

Their faces twisted in unison.

Pain and focus play in an atrocious game of tug the ropes.

But luckily, a winner was decided long before the battle could even begin.

They took a step forward and curled the beam towards each other, before redirecting the flow to the designated spot.

In a flash, the whitish gold struck with an appalling sound. A loud, guttural bellow as the blast landed on the tip of the Barrier.

The Dome recoiled and warped erratically.

Dark mana particles danced in waves.

Fracture after fracture, bursting like little firecrackers under the heat of Divine mana.

A supremacy taking root and unravelling the very foundations of the Barrier.

Soon… it would yield to the divine intervention of the pure form of Mana and break out… releasing what was withheld in it.

And all could tell that it was an inevitable fate.

The Barrier of Blood will fall.

Redrick Jafar, still in attendance, was one of these people who could tell at a glance that their plan was working.

And the young Advisor had sworn within himself that he would ensure it remained that way.

‘And I had feared that it would be one of their tricks.’

His gaze sharpened as it landed on Fiona Jun.

His thoughts linger for a moment, spiralling with the clash of priorities bestowed upon him.

He had wanted to act. Ceased the Jun Mage before she could even try anything fishy.

‘Though, what she has shown so far is nothing but suspicious.’

The knowledge without a source.

Access without prior notice or permission.

And worst of all… the control of a Royalty.

At that moment, his focus was pulled by the golden-haired youth who stood a few distances away from him.

Like him, he was also one of the bystanders.

Watching without needing to participate.

‘Thylan Swanstorm.’

His brows furrowed as he folded his arms in deep contemplation.

‘How did such a thing occur?’

In that moment, the sound of footsteps projected in his ears and snapped him from his thoughts.

On instinct, he whipped towards the direction. Arms flexed in a boxing stance as a familiar figure came into view.

His gaze came into contact with familiar darker shades.

One riddled with lethargy, yet encompassed years of training and great Martial prowess.

Both stood in sudden shock.

Their eyes were glued to one another in quiet understanding.

But time continued to move and so did they.

“Hah.” Redrick coughed lightly.

Placing his hand curled in a fist below his lips as he turned away and adjusted his clothes.

“Sir Bollam. I wasn’t expecting to see you here. If I remembered correctly, you were meant to protect the Imperial Family.”

Bollam visibly rolled his eyes as he took the last step and stood next to the Young Advisor.

A small smile tugged at the edge of his lips as he watched the scene unfold before him.

“I apologise if I startled you, Redrick. I had just come to converse.”

Redrick coughed once more.

Trying with much effort to bury their little moment.

” I-I see.” He said with a sigh. “But this isn’t a time to converse. The Castle is in ruins, the King is missing and the Great Families stand the chance to lose their Heads.”

The young man smirked at the thought.

‘Literally.’

Bollam groaned softly.

“I admit, this is terrible timing for me as well.”

He scratched the back of his helm as he pulled it down.

“Circumstances have called for me to be here… and this would be similar to a report… more so than a simple conversation.”

“Hah.” Redrick clasped his arms behind his back.

“In that case, you may speak.”

Bollam groaned once again.

Exasperation was vivid on his face when he caught sight of a figure by his peripheral vision.

He observed the fellow for a few moments, but soon lost interest.

Instead…

“How is the plan?”

He turned to the Barrier.

Seemingly watching as it began to shrink and swirl.

Then he turned to the Delegates.

His expression nearly faltered.

“As you can see, it’s going quite nicely,” Redrick replied.

“Matter of fact, the Delegates are so willing that pain means nothing to them if it means to secure their Family Heads.”

Bollam nodded once.

It was an understandable judgment.

After all, the pillars of power were only a few… and a loss of even one of them was akin to losing a few limbs.

Losing one could be manageable, but if more are damaged, then the repercussions would not be that difficult to think of. Death.

More deaths and then war.

‘I hope we secure them all… but anyone smart enough would know that was a foolish thought.’

But it was far too early to judge.

“You said you had something to report?”

“Oh… of course.” Bollam sighed heavily. “A head count of the Imperial Household was made… excluding the Butler, two more are missing.”

“A head count? I never ordered this.” Redrick said with a sudden change in tone.

Subtle and high… and one that Bollam didn’t fail to see.

“No, you didn’t. But since the Butler decided to leave on an errand… as he called it, I had taken it upon myself to ensure the safety of the others.”

Redrick scoffed.

“What a joke, Bollam. We both know how unbothered you are by the situation, so why don’t you just come clean?”

Bollam arched his brow in curiosity.

His gaze shifted to the man beside him as a stern wall began to form.

“What do you mean?”

“It means nothing. Explanations are useless. Just tell me the truth.”

Redrick raised his head to the air, then after what seemed like a long time, lowered it back to its normal level.

“It must have been the Queen.”

Bollam looked away without as much as a reply. But that was all Redrick needed.

“No matter. You can listen to her words, but you should know that what you are doing is simply pouring water into a sieve.”

Bollam stood silent.

Unbothered by his taunt.

“Who are they?”

A moment passed between the two and Bollam seemed hesitant, if not unwilling.

His arms were crossed and his eyes were blank.

Almost like he had zoned out into space.

But like every member of the King’s circle, they yielded to the Young Advisor.

“The second Prince, Jullian, and the second Princess, Meadow.”

A frown forged on Redrick’s face as he turned to Bollam.

Confusion and startlement etched on his face as a single question popped out.

“Princess Meadow… is missing?”